A unique website dedicated to fishing information from Florida's Northern Big Bend. This includes the area from the Econfina River west to the Apalachicola River
Lately I've noticed that almost all the boats I see being trailered have the motors trimmed all the way down... I've always been afraid to do that because I figured with my luck, I'd hit something and brake off the lower unit..
How do you trailer yours and why? With the motor trimmed up and in the locked position or trimmed down and supported or not?
Am I putting too much strain on the transom by trailering with the motor trimmed up?
YES... Too much strain on the transom trimmed up.
Plus the trim rods stay at full tilt which is not good.
We use a 3/4 board at the bottom of the motor catch to relieve the pressure on the pistons and the transom.
We run the tilt pistons all the way in so there is no pressure on them.
The motor does not flex on the transom causing stress and the pistons stay lubricated.
I trailer my outboard attached to a transom saver. The name says it all. With the motor tilted any at all and unsupported, the leverage created when hitting bumps and such will eventually weaken the transom. You might disagree with me but, physics does not lie. JT is right about the pistons. Keep them retracted.
FF
Last edited by fishinfool on August 24th, 2010, 9:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
fishinfool wrote:I trailer my outboard attached to a transom saver. The name says it all. With the motor tilted any at and unsupported, the leverage created when hitting bumps and such will eventually weaken the transom. You might disagree with me but, physics does not lie. JT is right about the pistons. Keep them retracted.
FF
Strap the boat to the trailer, then lower motor onto T-saver, boat, motor and trailer become one
“Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.”
Thanks for the info smellers........but I'm still a little confused.. I haven't used a transom saver because the trailer is square metal where a transom saver would go and I haven't seen a square mount... There are three cylinders... two for the tilt and trim and one master cylinder....When the motor is in the up and locked position there is no strain on the two tilt cylinders and I always retract them..... The master cylinder is permanently connected to the motor so there's no way to retract it... I'm guessing the strain on the master cylinder is less when the motor is locked down.... I'm gonna try a piece of 4x4 just below the trim cylinders...that should let me lower it a little.
all the way down. yamaha mechanic told me its not good for those four strokes to stay tilted up all the time. something about keeping the oil level. not sure that is true but better safe. i have a pontoon with lots of clearance while on the trailer. my old fishing boat with the two stroke i have to tilt it up for travel, but i leave it down while storing.
A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week. -George S. Patton